Automobile door latch



RA E. JoYcE. JR 2,190,518 AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Filed March 25, 1938 l lNvEN--n MEW@ aanstaan, 1940 N 2,190,518

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE L l2,190,51a Y .l

, f Auron/.tonus noon LATCH l, l YRichard Jr.,I Meriden, Conn. Application Mayes, 193s, serial Nc. 209,931 a o1aims. (or asas-34o) l I This invention relates to door latches and more manently secured to the striker plate III by spot particularly,though not exclusively, to a latch `for welding, brazing or the like. The striker plate automobile doors. I0 is machined to provide a latch I1, having a Present day automobile doors require the exer-v wedging surface Ila and a shoulder |1b with 5 tion of a considerable force in order to be comwhich a latchebolt I8 is adapted to cooperate in f5 vilo between the door posts and the doors which `have walls I6 of the casing I4. A main latch 2|, slide l ming of automobile doors is, however, highlyobtion shown in Fig. 2. Springs 23, of which there i5 practice is highly dangerous as evidenced by fret urging the latter into latching position. Suitably 20 pletely closed, with the result that 1t has become order to prevent the automobile door I9 from flythe common practice to slam: the doors closed ing open when the same is not completely closed. rather than forcing the same closed. While this The striker plate IIJ also provides shoulders 20 is partly due to the provision of cushioning pads 4which extend along at least two opposite side to be compressed before the doors can latch, itis ably received in the casing I4, is provided with particularly the construction of the presently used machined shoulders 22 which engage the corredoor latches which makes the exertion of a conspondingshoulders 20 of the striker plate when -siderable `closing force imperative. The slam.- said main latch is in the normal or latched posin jeeticnable not only because it is accompanied by are preferably two diagonally disposed in the oasdisturbing noises and severe shocks to `the door ing I4, rest with one end against the` bottom wall windows and their frames, resulting in'` early Ilia of said casing and are received in apertures 3| rattling of these windows, but also because such `of the main latch 2|, thus normally yieldingly quent injuries to unaware passengers whose hands mounted in, and extending from, said bottom wall or feet got caught between doors and door posts. |60, is a pin 24 which projects into a bore 25 of the It is, therefore,` the primary aim and object of main latch 2|. The pin 24 and the hole 25 cooperthe present invention to provide a door latch, ate to guide the main latch 2| linearly to and 25 particularly for automobile doors, which requires from latching position. As best shown in Figs. 2 `25, such little force for closing the door that slamand 3, a considera le length of the wedging surming is entirely unnecessary. face 2Ia of the main latch 2| projects beyond the Before explaining in detail the present inven- `wedging surface I1a of the safety latch I1 when tion it is to be understood that the invention is not the former is in its latching position.

limited in its application to the details of con- Associated 'th `the safety latch I1 and the 30 struction and arrangement of parts illustrated in main latch 2| for cooperation therewith is the the accompanying drawing, since the invention is [latch bolt I8 which is guided for longitudinal capable of other embodiments and of being pracmovement in any suitably constructed guide 26, ticed or carried out in various ways. Also it is to mounted in a post 21 in the steel frame 28 of the 3,5 be understood that the phraseology or terminology automobile door I9. e Inasmuch as the operation employed herein is for the purpose of description of the latch bolt I8 may be like that of any conand not of limitation, and it is not intended to ventionalA latch bolt, the operating structure limit the invention claimed herein beyond the retherefor is neither disclosed nor described herein, quirements of the prior art. it being understood, however, that the relatively In the drawing: strong spring 35 normally urges said latch bolt 40 Fig.` 1 is a fragmentary crosssection through an into the latching position shown in Fig. 2 and that automobile door and its post, showing a latch ina door `handle (not shown) is so drivingly constalled which embodies the present invention. nected with said latch bolt that manipulation of Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 1, the former will withdraw the latter from its latchshowing the automobile door closed, however. ing position so that the door I9 may be opened. 45

l Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the `As best shown in Fig. 2, an end portion` 30 of striker plate of the present latch. the door frame 28 is bent inwardly at an obtuse Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral angle against the door post 21 so as to be in sub- `l ll designates the striker plate of a latch which is stantially uniform engagement with the wedging secured to a post II in the steel frame I2 of an surface I1a of the safety latch I1 when the door is 50 automobile body by any suitable means, suchas closed. Also, an end portion of the body frame I2 screws It. The striker plate I0 is provided' with extends beyond the striker plate Ill and covers the a rectangular casing I4 which is open at one side latch bolt I8 when the door is closed. and received in a cavity I5 of the post II. The 0n closing the door I9, the latch bolt I8 rides l casing I4 is preferably made separately and perfirst over the wedging surface IIa of the safety 55.

latch Il and is thereby wedged into a slightly retracted position until it cleara said safety latch. On clearing the safety latch Il, the latch bolt rI8 shown) are preferably mterposed in spaced intervals between the body post l and the inwardly bent end portion 3l? of the doorframe 28 to take up any play between the latter and the safety latch Vi. The door i9 is ulating the non-disclosed door handle and therebyr cause sufficient retraction of the latch bolt I8 from its 'latching position that the same clears the main :latch 2l.

'It will beunderstood from the precedingl description that the be exerted Their provision made bolt, on closing the advantage Lthat very little :force need in order to clos-e .the door.

I claim: .1. As-an article of manufacture, a striker plate safety catch below the top thereof.

RICHARD E. JOYCE, JR. 

